The Ecodesign EU 2019/2020 requirements remains relevant topic for several years now. In order to systematize the knowledge, we have created a series „Exploring Ecodesign” about the obligations of Ecodesign for manufacturers and importers of lighting on the EU market. In the first post you will learn about important dates and the obligations imposed by ecodesign, as well as what the new obligations mean for professionals in the lighting industry.
by Krzysztof Jeżowski I GL Optic
Ecodesign is a policy in force in all European Union countries, aimed at improving energy efficiency, among others of lighting products, promotes a sustainable economy and enables easy verification of the quality parameters of light sources and luminaires.
The most important dates for the lighting industry are:
- May 1 2021: mandatory registration to the EPREL database at this time
- September 1 2021: products placed on the market should be labeled in accordance with ECODESIGN, the distributor may request the importer or manufacturer for a new label for previously delivered products
- February 23, 2023: old type labels should be replaced with new ones or supplemented with new ones, with the energy efficiency scale “A-G”
- September 1, 2024, the SVM parameter cannot be higher than 0.4.
What are the Ecodesign obligations?
The document presents a set of requirements aimed at improving the energy efficiency of lighting products like:
- Simplifying the scale of energy efficiency – The so far known scale from A +++ to G has been replaced by a more clear scale from A to G, to reduce the large number of classes with high energy efficiency.
- Introducing a clear form of labeling products with an energy label – the label contains information about the energy efficiency class (A-G), supplier, model designation and energy consumption. In addition, the QR code allows you to quickly and easily find a product in the EPREL database.
- Obligation to register products in the EPREL database – each product entering the EU market must be entered in the EPREL database, where product data describing its quality is placed.
In practice, this means that the lighting product must be of a certain quality, compliant with a number of parameters specified in the document. This quality should be clearly displayed on the packaging and in the EPREL database, so that the consumer can make an informed purchasing decision based on it.
For different professional groups in the lighting industry, these requirements mean new responsibilities. Manufacturers face the challenge of meeting the technical requirements of their products in terms of parameters specified in Ecodesign. An obligation to define flicker parameters like PstLM and SVM, that did not appear in the previous requirements, was introduced. To meet them, manufacturers often face the need to implement new procedures in the field of research and development, production and quality control. Measurement specialists must carry out more detailed studies and create parameter lists for registration in the EPREL database. Importers and distributors of lighting products on the European market are required to register them in the EPREL database. Officials should verify the compliance of lighting products placed on the EU market with the Ecodesign Directive.
The next post in the series will concern which products the Ecodesign requirements apply to and what consequences and benefits result from these requirements.
